Nursing - RN Transition Program, B.S.N. (Post-licensure)

Admission into the BSN Program (RN Transition/Post-licensure)

This newly structured RN Transition program is streamlined to provide the student who has completed all the core and prerequisites to complete the courses leading to a BSN in as little as 9 months as a full time student or in 2 years as a part-time student. Students may enter the program in either the Fall or Spring semester. Courses are delivered online to enable students to maintain full-time employment while completing the course of study. The faculty is prepared to create an outstanding online experience; students engage in a collaborative supportive environment, receiving support from classmates and mentorship from faculty members.

To increase the opportunity for nurses to progress their education from ADN to BSN, the Wilson School of Nursing has signed Articulation Agreements (CABNET) with many Texas Community Colleges. This assists with a pathway for nurses to achieve their baccalaureate degrees and removes economic and curriculum barriers. This will promote a seamless transition between associate degree graduates seeking to achieve a BSN.

The student must

complete an application for admission to the BSN Program;

hold licensure as a Registered Nurse (Texas or designated State);

have official transcripts from all colleges/universities and/or diploma school of nursing sent to MSU Admissions;

all Nursing pre-requisite and Texas Core courses must be completed before starting the RN Transition Program. Must meet requirement of 30 advanced hours at Midwestern State University for this degree. A student can select an elective course at the 3000-4000 level;

provide documentation of the following prior to enrollment in clinical courses:

professional liability insurance;

completion of physical examination;

health insurance;

compliance with State or program mandated immunizations;

current licensure (GNs may enroll in one semester of nursing courses with the stipulation that they must pass the NCLEX-RN prior to completion of the course. If they do not pass NCLEX, no further progression in the RN Transition program will be permitted until successful completion of NCLEX is accomplished.);

American Heart Healthcare Provider CPR;

criminal background check; and

ten panel urine drug screen.

The RN Transition program:

See university undergraduate catalog for progression and readmission polices.

All core and nursing pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to taking any of the courses in the RN Transition curriculum. The core and nursing pre-requisite courses can be taken at any community college or university. The applicant to the RN Transition program must be Texas Core Curriculum complete at the institution of choice.

Applicants applying to the RN Transition program must meet MSU residency requirements (30 hours at Midwestern State University) including completion of writing proficiency exam.

RN Transition students must complete all nursing courses within a two (2) (24 months) year period of time beginning with the first nursing course.

RN Transition students must maintain enrollment in at least two (2) courses per semester. Students who do not maintain enrollment for one (1) semester will be placed on inactive status and will need to submit a letter to the WSON Student Affairs Committee and discuss with RT Transition Program Coordinator/Academic Advisor a new degree plan in order to continue.

RN Transition students are eligible to apply to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. A student must declare intent to pursue the RN to MSN program upon application to the Wilson School of Nursing. See graduate catalog for application deadline, admission requirements and further details on the MSN programs available. Student must be admitted to the MSN program prior to enrolling in any of the RN Transition courses. Students pursuing the RN to MSN program must take up to 6 semester credit hours of graduate nursing courses as follows:

Students must earn a “B” or better in all graduate courses in order to meet the requirements for the MSN. A grade lower than “B” in a graduate course precludes progression in the RN to MSN program; however, if the student achieves a passing grade of ‘C’ in the course(s) they will be re-assigned to the RN to BSN and the coursework will be used towards the completion of a BSN degree.

If an RN to MSN student completes all required courses for the BSN degree and chooses to not continue to pursue the MSN degree, the student may elect to exit the program and receive a BSN. The student must submit a letter to the Graduate Program Coordinator of his/her intent not to continue toward an MSN.

Once the BSN degree is conferred and the RN to MSN student elects not to enroll in MSN courses during the subsequent fall or spring semester they will be required to take an additional 6 credits to complete the MSN degree.

A student may need to add an elective to the degree plan if 30 semester credit hours are needed for an earned degree at MSU. A student can select an elective course at the 3000/4000 level. A total of 120 hours is required for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.